This cheesecake recipe comes from a Better Crocker magazine. It was the second cheesecake I’d ever made, so I was nervous at how it would turn out, but it came out great and wasn’t too difficult.

• 1 pouch Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix
• 1 box Betty Crocker fudge brownie mix
• 3 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Make cookie dough as directed on package, using water , oil, and egg. Cover refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm. Meanwhile, make and bake brownie mix as directed on package for 13×9 pan, using water oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Heat oven to 325°. Wrap outside, bottom, and side of 9” spring-form pan with foil to prevent leaking. Spray with cooking spray. Press cookie dough in bottom and 1⁄2 inch up the side of the pan. Bake 13-15 minutes or until set. Place on cooling rack; cool completely. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth. Beat in the 4 eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Crumble 2 cups of cooled brownies into coarse crumbs and fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour over crust. Bake about an hour or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2” from edge of pan, but center still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4”. Let cheesecake stay in oven for 30 minutes. Run a small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake then cool on cooling rack for another 30 minutes.